Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



June 29 1926. 1,590,776

J.' F. OCONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBINCT MECHANISM Original Filed March 22. 1923 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 29,1926, 1,596,776

.r J. F. OCONNOR FRCTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Original Filed March 22. 1923 2 SheetVs-Sheetz Patented June 29, 1926'.

Las

Jenn r. oconnon, or onions-o, rrmrnors, essrsrroa, sir retiens AssreNranN'rs, To

w. H. MINER, INC., A oonronn'rronr on DELAWARE.

FRIGTIQN SHOCK-ABSORBNG MECHANISIVI.

Application filed March 22, 1923, Serial No. 626,737'.V Renewed December 26, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to'provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism,'es pecially adapted for railway draft rig-gings, wherein is obtained high frictional capacity combined with assured release, the arrangement being such that the high friction capacity is developed during compression, by a system of wedge and friction elements having the attributes of a keen angle system, the release and return of the parts to normal position being obtained by the same system, of friction units, but which has the attributes of a. blunt releasing angle wedge system, during the release action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character indicated in the foregoing, wherein are employed a central friction lpost a wedge pressure transmitting means, and a plurality of wedge friction shoes co-operating with said wedoe pressure transmitting` means and post, withsome of the engaging faces of the wedge pressure transmitting means and shoes dif fering in angle from eachother, by vreason of which certain release of the mechanism is assured, without the use of the expensive anti-friction metal inserts heretofore employed.V v

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a portionv of a railway draft rigging, the section through the follower, friction elements and other fparts, correspending to two section planes at approximately 120o apart. Fig. 2 is a front end elevational view of the shock absorbing mechanism proper. Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view corresponding` to the section line 3-3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4t is a vertical, transverse sectional view corresponding substantially to the section line -d of Fig. 1. And Figs. 5 and 6 are .det-ail perspective views respectively,y of a blunt angle friction shoe and a keen angle friction shoe.

In the drawings, -10 indicate .the usual draft or center sills of a car under frame, said sills being preferably of channel cross section, and to the inner faces of which are secured front stop lugs 11-11 and rear stop lugs 12-12, of usual construction. A portion of the drawbar is indicated at 13, the` same having operatively associated therewith a hooded cast yoke 14 of well known form, and within which is disposed the shock absorbing mechanism proper, hereinafter described. The yoke and the parts contained therein are supported in operative position by a detachable saddle plate l5.

T ie improved shock absorbing mechanism proper, as shown, comprises'a combined front follower" and wedgeV casing A; a rearfollower casting B; a friction post C; three friction shoes l); E, and F; stop members G--G; a spring resistance fl;v a spring follower di; and a pair of retaining bolts K.

The combined front follower' andrwedge castingA is of hollow vconstruction and comprises a top wall 16, a bottom` w ll 17, a front wall 1S, a rear wall 19, and longitudinally arranged-walls 20, 2l, and 22 extending from the front wall 18 to the rear wall 19, the said walls 20, 2l and 22 being connected by curved web portions 23 and vdefining a casing in which the wedge friction slices are housed. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the walls 20, 21 and 22 are arranged symmetrically about tlie axis of the gear and are provided with interiorrearwardly diverging flat faces 24, and 26 respectively, the face 24 forming a true wedge face extending at a relatively keen angle withfreference to the longitudinal axis of the gear, and the faces 25 and 26 forming relatively blunt wedge faces extending at a relatively blunt angle with reference to said longitudinal axis. vThe front wall 18 of tire casting la is adaptedV to abut the front stop lugs 11 and co-act thcrewith in well known manner,

The rear follower casting B is of generally rectangular outline and has integrally formed therewith the friction post C.' The follower B is provided with a rear wall'" adapted to co-act with stop lugs 12, and a spaced web 28 laterally projecting from the rear end of the post C and extending paral lel tothe rear wall 27 of the follower.

The friction post C is provided at the forward end thereof with three equally spaced, radially projecting arms 29, thereby providingthree longitudinally extending V-shaped friction surfaces 30 which diverge slightly in a direction toward the rear of the mechanism.

The two friction shoes E and F, preferably in the form of castings, are of like constructien,I each havingr a V-s'hepe'cl, inner friction Surface 31 adapted to co-act Withv one of the Ylf-shaped friction surfaces 30 of the post. C'. niet the .outer endj each. friction shoe E end F is .prcvicledm-'th-e rearwardly enel outwardly inclined face @cooperating with one of the feces Qntl L26 of the front follower and corresponding in tingle;there;V

to as cleerlj7 shown in Figs. l and 6. The third, orreineining slice D is .proviclecl with Vfsfnepegrinneij friction [si no'etr @dented to` col-,oberfteg ,W'fh the remaining Vsl ;zt'pt` reietonjsurfaeo of the' peseo; rie its wel' epndqe.; site' is preyidedzsw inclined Wedge V, fecc, 3ft corresponding iii futility me ind' Cpt-ming wie; the geen wedge face 2,4 qlthelgont f nOwer A. The ,Spring follower, .IE- s interposed be t n the-reer iiclsof. he vedge$friction shoesD, angl F and the spring res'is ce .@de Y The springfollower J isipi;

Wllly Ylllofllcf,l if l. 39 -Qllfl tt 00%?015 with ,the friction Wedge shoes' D,E 'and' tonholtl the saine in epproxiniateposition when gisseinbfling the. `gear, The follower J isn'lso provideclyvith c'entrel perf forgation. vl0 cor spondinh', inoutline to the 'post loosely,eccoinxnoll The StQPrUen/lllen-GF- :am f@ fill? nlllbl extend ,longltu'clinllv ofthe mechanism incl relletth S @i the fbllowers, ,Sldbyr-m11'td:bet .een bOSSS 3.7 OU 5611.8 lieferfo'llwrl B, .lel ,the bos. ..38 011, the 'front fQlloiver extending' 4 loosely through lined vxrecesses in the web 2 8 end `the V reer ivitll l9of;the,ffroft follower 'lllhe stop members G :ire of such it lengtl'i th'tlth'e front ends thereof are 1 tl'pftel` to ibut bosses 37 'and 3,8 of therenr end front followers respectively, jr c lirnit thev relative in- @its K site @we it "neither nd are v'rre'n'gjecl"at opposite sides of the ting the seine.V

gear `midway of.l its height, erich bolt having therear endL thereof anchored` to the Web 28 of the rear follower cestino' B and its frontend anchored to the wall 'i9 of the from; follower @fisting A.'

`Tl1e operation of the device ises follows, essuining e compression stroke of the niechn ni srn.. iis the f ront-folloxver A is force@L inwardly of the gear there vvill be, initially, :isliglit rnovernentLA of `thelreen tingle Wedge fece Zljv'tli rcsp'e'ctlto the co-jeting', keen Wedge fice, 3l' of the slo D. VDuring this it'il eretici- 15. tliewtxvo blunt angle shoes E wllnoveinwrdlj Q theshell; sub1- s tiallynnnini'son with the follower A,

onjerwi ,and thenceoperating ftices need or. the. kii ingle s.

`pfztge between the'y feces incl Srl of the 'advncefof the shoes Eend F reltive to theslioe D, the springifollower il ivill be Clisfpleced orfinov'fcclf l(uslig the innerend of the 'slice In Vthis con nection, special.referencei'sniede t Fig. 3, Where it xvillb noted that the zu-ezt ofcontectbetiveen theinner ends of the twiioblunt nngle slioesE end il ,with thev ,ff 'nt falce Y lov , in', end wii'tlr'ut tlie sp1 ing- -tiltecl by `the pressure of the spriiig. g ile thewspring folloul ,'u't of engegeinent ivitlithe inn'eretl 'f the keen en'glerslioe `D during the compi kion stroke', es l1ereinbefore described I'l'eve'rtheleissl it 'ivillbe' @pp ent thgltt the shoeD alvmys eifo'rtls resistance becauseof the V friction betweenl the surifnce thereof tlie tion surface SO of the friction post C, this Vfriction acti 1`ig 'to reterrl the shoe D lering the compression stroke of 'the ineclifanisin. Due "toy the Atzfp'e'r of friction 'surfaces lof the friese a fil'rther elefve 10.11.45 li'n'algdis- 'plc-ernent between the blunt. 'angle 'slioes and thelreen` ingle shoe lwill e1ise,"tliis ecton beingreitlily tcconiinoclattl `'on the sets of -blunt zingle, inclined lfgices of the front follovzer 4@intl 'blunt angle shoSf. Seid b'liint n'gle f es titing Ain'the nfature of Y 'valves this l'p u'rposfe and Eprie tingburstingr of lthe follower. The front iso follower being of metal, ythe wedge s hell portion thereof is capable of a limited amount of expansion which takes place during compression of the mechanism.

Upon the removal of the compression force, there is an initial releasing action induced by the inward contraction of the wedge shell portion of the front follower A. This contraction of the follower A results in a slight forward movement of the follower, the said action being accommodated on the blunt angle inclined faces 25, 26 and 34. The releasing action, thus described, then results in also loosening the wedging face of the shoe D and the front follower A sufliciently to thereafter permit the reduction of pressure between the friction surfaces of all the shoes and the friction surfaces of the post C, whereupon the spring becomes effective to move all of the friction shoes outwardly of the shell and restore the parts to normal position. At the beginning of the outward movement, the spring follower J will, obviously, move first the two blunt angle shoes E and F in an outward direction 'and immediatel thereafter engage the keen angle slice D and also move it out longitudinally. IVhen the friction shoes have reached their limitof outward movement, they will have been restored to normal position and, on account of the extended area of contact between the two blunt angle shoes and the spring follower, which maintains the latter perpendicular to the aXis, all three shoes will be brought to rest as best shown in Fig. 1.

It will be evident that the angularity of the blunt and keen faces of the friction shoes may be varied within certain limits and yet accomplish the desired result, the inclination of the wedge faces of the blunt and keen angle shoes, however being preferably 45 and 300 respectively, with reference to the longitudinal axis of the gear.

It will be evident from the preceding description, that by providing` blunt and keen angle wedging means and wedge friction shoes, certain release of the wedging mechanism and the friction shoes is assured without the use of the usual anti-friction means, consisting of anti-friction metal inserts, between the wedging surfaces.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim l. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a central friction element; of a series of friction shoes co-operable with said element; a spring resistance; and a wedge pressure transmitting means co-operable with said shoes, said shoes and wedge pressure transmitting means having a plurality of co-acting sets of faces,

part of which are arranged at a relatively keen wedge acting angle and others at a relatively blunt releasing angle.

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with front and rear followers; of a central friction post having a plurality of exterior friction surfaces; a plurality of friction shoes, each orf said shoes cri-operating with one of said post friction surfaces; a spring resistance; and

a wedge pressure transmitting means cooperable with `said shoes, said shoes and wedge pressure-transmitting means having a plurality of co-operating sets of faces, part of which are arranged at a relatively keen wedge acting angle and others at a relatively blunt releasing angle, said wedge pressure-transmitting means being formed ntegral with the front follower.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction post having' a pluralityof friction surfaces; of a plurality of friction shoes c'o-operable with i `said post friction surfaces; a spring resistingtapering friction surfaces; of a spring resistance'ga plurality of friction shoes cooperating with said friction sur. aces; a pressure transmitting wedging means eo-operating with said shoes, one of said shoes having a wedge face at an angle which is acute and of high friction creating capacity, another shoe in opposed relation having a. face engaged by said wedge at a wedge releasing angle.

. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a central frietion element having longitudinally arranged, tapering friction surfaces thereon; of a spring resistance; a series of three friction shoes surrounding said element and sldable on said longitudinally arranged friction surfaces; a vvedge co-acting with said shoes, one of said shoes having a wedge face at an angle which is acute and of high friction creatine' capacity, and the remaining shoes having faces engaged by said wedge at a releasing angle.

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a front follower lill) compression stioke5 Mid o main soringie;

away from tho Pixis ofv the and foward' .fon-N2 @comme 

